Amazon’s Bezos Coy at Shareholder Event

Amazon.com Inc. likes to keep its playbook close to the vest. And its annual meeting Thursday, where shareholders are free to ask whatever they like, was no exception.

Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, appearing on a stage at a Seattle theater space for the event, was mostly coy about the internal workings of the company despite a series of about half a dozen shareholder queries.

To one stakeholder who asked why Amazon sells violent video games, but has supported tighter gun control measures, Mr. Bezos said “we’ll look into it,” and no more.

Still, Mr. Bezos did allow that he didn’t know whether Amazon sells precious metals or what reasons it would have for not doing so.

And he said Amazon’s Seattle-area only grocery delivery program called Fresh had “made progress on the economics over the past year,” without giving further details.

Mr. Bezos also challenged media reports that Amazon doesn’t pay its third-party merchants quickly enough. “We’re incredibly good at paying on time,” he said, noting that some vendors had had their payments suspended over questions around their fulfillment practices.

But there were no big revelations in the brisk meeting and shareholders didn’t really challenge the company founder.

It’s perhaps no wonder: Amazon’s shares have advanced 22% since last year’s annual meeting.
All board members were reelected and a shareholder proposal that would have required more disclosure of Amazon’s political activities was defeated.